Industrial Applications and Chemistry Section
RADIATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT FOR CLEANER INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES AND MATERIAL ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPMENT
Objectives:
To strengthen national capabilities of Member States to benefit from radiation technology and radioisotope applications in tackling pollutants, development of value added products, better control of production processes and industrial safety, and detection of hazardous materials.
The application of radioisotopes and radiation techniques in many areas of industrial process management and in dealing with environmental pollutants is vital for sustainable development, both in developed and developing countries. In particular, industrial growth in emerging economies and in many developing Member States can be assisted by the use of radiation technologies to monitor/improve performance quality and minimize the environmental effects of emissions and effluents from industries.
Radiation technology utilizing gamma or X ray sources and electron accelerators is one of the cleaner and more reliable processes for material modification. There are over 160 gamma industrial irradiators and more than 1200 electron industrial accelerators in operation worldwide. These facilities are being widely used for sterilization, food irradiation and polymer/rubber processing. More than 40 pilot and industrial scale Co-60 gamma irradiators, as well as several electron accelerators, have been established in developing Member States with the cooperation of the Agency.
Radiation processing has shown promise in dealing with a number of pollutants. In view of the hazards of known organic pollutants and the difficulties in conventional treatment methods, interest is growing in the applicability of radiation based techniques.
For example, the radiation treatment of low value and/or waste agricultural by-products based on natural polymers remains an active area of development to produce useful products. Radiation processing is also a promising method for the development of novel advanced materials such as polymeric nano-composite coatings with enhanced surface mechanical properties with greater transparency, scratch and abrasion resistance.
Many industrial processes can achieve better control of production, improve efficiency, and enhance product quality and yield by using radiotracer and sealed source techniques. These techniques can also be used by other users and service providers if they are available as user friendly systems. In addition, research activities in areas not dominated by industrial ventures and which enhance the capabilities for the development of products and services using indigenous resources are strongly needed. In the area of well established industrial applications, including NDT, developing Member States require guidelines and training materials on standardized procedures/protocols.
The development of nuclear techniques, particularly those based on neutrons, and making use of multi-technique devices for the detection of explosives and other illicit material will strengthen measures for ensuring the safety and security of people and places.
The emphasis in this subprogramme will be on strengthening national capabilities and assisting national institutions to achieve self-sustainability in radiation technologies. This includes assistance in building up infrastructure, expertise and the knowledge base utilizing and expanding radiation technology applications in developing Member States.
